Sinemet Drug Injury Lawyer

What Is Sinemet?

Sinemet (levodopa/carbidopa) is a recombinant drug prescribed to treat the tremor-like symptoms, which plague patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease or other forms of dyskinesia. Sinemet combines the drugs levodopa to address dopamine deficiency, and carbidopa to off-set the side-effects of levodopa.

Though sinement has many of the common side-effects shared with other dopamine affecting agents (e.g., dry mouth, sweating, or upset stomach), the severe side-effects that some patients who have taken sinement suffer can be characterized as alarming, at best, including, but not limited to dyspnea (a/k/a difficult breathing, or inability to catch your breath); melena (a/k/a tarry stool, possibly indicating gastric-hemorrhaging); and, hematemesis (a/k/a blood in vomit, possibly indicating gastric-hemorrhaging); depression (including thoughts of suicide); exsanguinations, and even death.

How Does Sinemet Work?

The mechanism of sinemet’s efficacy can be understood by looking at its components, and their respective separate functions.

Levodopa: The drug levodopa is naturally metabolized in the human body into dopamine (a neurotransmitter) by the enzyme DOPA-decarboxylase. One function of dopamine is to stimulate neurons which control motor functions performed by muscles. Levodopa affects both the peripheral and central nervous systems. That said, while its effects experienced by the central nervous system of patients is successful in lessening the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, its effects experienced by the peripheral nervous system induces nausea and even vomiting.

Carbidopa: The drug carbidopa is a DOPA–decarboxylase inhibitor that, because of its very polar molecular nature cannot cross the blood-brain barrier; and, therefore, remains, primarily, in the peripheral nervous system of the patient taking it. That makes it attractive for the purpose of functioning as an inhibitor of the affect that drugs like levodopa have on the peripheral nervous system (e.g., nausea, or vomiting). Additionally, by inhibiting effects experienced by the peripheral nervous system, carbidopa simultaneously causes the quantity of levodopa in the bloodstream to rise; and, therefore, causes an increase in the quantity of levodopa available to enter the brain and address the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Medical Malpractice settlement in Pennsylvania for a young child who suffered from a severe injury to the intestinal tract due to a delay by the hospital and doctor in diagnosis and treating Necrotising Enterocolitis.Read More

Our client, a 52-year-old executive secretary had an extensive stay in a local Nassau County hospital. She was discharged and thereafter had persistent nausea and vomiting for a two-week period.Read More

Settlement with the State of New York in the Court of Claims for a victim who sustained brain damage while descending a recreational tube slide on a slope negligently designed by New York State.Read More

Verdict against Phillip Brothers Chemical Company, Inc. who failed to adequately warn a worker in an electroplating plant how to properly add zinc cyanide to a brass plating mixture resulting in an explosion causing burns and loss of vision in one eye.Read More

Navigate Our Site

The Finz & Finz, P.C. firm represents clients from New York and surrounding areas, including New York City (NYC), Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, throughout New York state and nationwide.